Two county lines dealers have been locked up after police smashed a major City Centre drug network pumping Class A drugs into Birmingham.
‘Frankie’ Drug Line Ran Daily Across Birmingham
The ‘Frankie’ line kicked off in August 2023, operating from 9am to 9pm every day in Birmingham city centre, Balsall Heath, Moseley, and Selly Oak. The dealers flooded the area with high-quality Class A drugs like cocaine, heroin, and crack cocaine.
Police investigations uncovered the Frankie’s phone number was a hive of activity — receiving over 81,000 calls, making 28,000 calls, and sending or receiving 25,000 texts between August 2023 and October 2024.
Mastermind and Runner Nabbed During Raids
Evidence showed 26-year-old Ishaaq Ayaz topped up the phone in August 2024 and was the main operator. Mobile phone tracking revealed Ayaz’s personal phone was often with the drug line phone. One dealer handled orders before passing details on to a ‘runner’ who delivered the stash.
In October 2024, police raided a city centre flat tied to Ayaz. There, 20-year-old Numaan Mahmood turned up and was swiftly arrested with drug wraps, an iPhone used for the drug line, and hundreds of pounds in cash.
Although Ayaz wasn’t home, officers seized around £7,000 cash, Class A drugs, and scales. Altogether, police confiscated 495 wraps and 222 grams of cocaine, heroin, and crack, plus £9,256 in cash.
Heavy Sentences at Birmingham Crown Court
Both men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin. On Wednesday, 11 March, Birmingham Crown Court handed down tough sentences — Ayaz got seven years and four months behind bars, while Mahmood received two years and three months.
Police say this bust dealt a serious blow to the county lines supply, flooding Birmingham’s streets.
